W.S.O.P. Event #13 – Level 13
We’re just past the bubble, and I’m one of the short-stacks at the table in the big blind. Blinds/antes are 1,500/3,000/400 and I only have 29,000 chips. UTG is Napolean Ta, who was without question one of the best big stack players I’ve ever seen.
Off the subject here, about three hours after the following hand and right before I busted, Napolean leaned over to me and said, ‘I just want you to know that you’re the best short-stack player that I’ve ever seen’. He had just watched me survive from 100 to 35 players while short-stacked, at two different tables loaded with big stacks. He seemed to intend it as a genuine compliment, but I sure wish I didn’t get so much short-stack practice all the time! :p
Anyways, Napolean raised my blind to 6,500 from UTG, just like he did 80% of the time. Oddly, no one re-raised him this time. Middle position called, the button called, the small blind called, and I even had to call short-stacked, since I was getting almost 10:1 odds on my money. My cards were:
:9h::4h:
Now before we continue, it’s important to note that most of the players at the table had me pegged as the tightest, weakest and most passive player. They had all just seen me play the bubble like a little baby and I had folded every single time my blind was raised or I was re-raised.:o
The flop came:
:7h::2c::2s:
Both blinds checked, Napolean bet 8,000, middle position called, the button called and small blind folded. Now there were 60,000 chips in the pot and I only had 22,000 left. So I pushed all-in.
Even with 3:1 on their money, not a single one of the big stacks called me. They all folded within probably fifteen seconds! They were so convinced that I was a weak player that they all KNEW I had to have at least a two, and possibly even 7-2. It was beautiful. :) So beautiful in fact, that I couldn’t help but show my first hand of the entire tournament. Jaws were dropping for sure, and this helped me to create a big pot later on when I picked up pocket kings… ;)
